My son and I are playing through this game together, I on Switch and he on Game Pass. It's the bonding experience I always wanted, talking about the plot, the music, finding secrets, everything. I'm tearing up thinking about how these will be core memories for both of us. Many thanks to Sabotage and everyone at the studio and involved in this beautiful project.

This video's ability to transform into satire overnight is incredible.

The devs removing him just makes me love this game that much more

Can Bob fix the game? YES HE CAN!

"I was in the game. Temporarily at least" truetrue

Sea of Stars 2: They don't remove the character based on Jirad, he becomes a villain whos been siphoning funds. Beat him and he explodes into an obscene amount of cash we as the characters have a choice to either pocket, or give to some causes in game that will give us bonuses. If we pocket, it changes how some characters view us.

The Sabotage story is so inspiring. I'm so happy with how far they've come

Well, this definitely marks for an interesting part of history for Sea of Stars. What a legacy!

Those first 7 minutes were so touching.

I LOVED Golden Sun and Chrono Trigger SO much, and it's been ages since someone has tried to tackle what those games did well. It's surreal seeing something with so much Golden Sun DNA in it. It often feels like that series was forgotten, but it was obvious from the demo that these guys really enjoyed those games.

This is a reminder. Your biggest wins and your biggest losses can happen at any time. It's how you carry yourself afterwards that matters. This video is just depressing now. You should have made things right Jirard.

I know a lot of people are laughing at Jirad being removed, but the whole situation is a little heartbreaking to me. I’m sure it was not an easy decision for Sabotage to do considering their history with Jirad.

Flippin' video games man... Just beautiful. Thanks for sharing Jirard.

Definitely one of the best games this year for sure, really shows you dont need a fat budget to make a masterpiece.

Man that opening was so raw and engaging, thank you for letting us into your life and sharing with us your story!

40:08 "that one didn't age quite so well."

This game is amazing, it has the best music and most chill vibes I’ve seen in a game in a VERY long time. Most enjoyable gaming experience I’ve had for a while.

A Sea of Stars Spoiler-Talk? YES PLEASE! We need more Sea of Stars!

“My mental health was very bad, I was close to quitting youtube , I felt I didn’t deserve to be here doing what I was doing “ mmmm sounds like a case of residual guilt .

This is what gaming is all about. The game, the backstory of how it came to be, the heartfelt friendship that came with it. Absolutely appreciate the time you have given this one as well as sharing your experience with us. Cheers!

Glad jirard didnt call it quits. Hes got a wonderful voice and i appreciate his ideas. Loves with hiss whole heart.

I’ve been obsessed with sea of stars the last week it definitely deserves a spot as game of the year

48:13 Oof not a good look

"I want to make an impact on people. REAL, GENUINE, people." Well tbf...he did, just not in the way we all thought he would.

This is probably my favorite video on the channel now. Your love for this game is incredibly infectious and I'm getting it installed right now!

A few things here. 1. The first few minutes of this video made me love this channel and you as a person. This is the first video I’ve ever seen from you and I’m definitely a subscriber and fan now. 2. Sea of stars is amazing. I have been struggling mentally the past several months especially have been tough. I spent 6 hours straight playing this game today and it was the happiest I’d been in a long time. No game or anything at all has made me so happy and enjoyed in many years. I fell in love with gaming all over again.

I wonder now if Sabotage Studio will remove him from the game when they find out about what he did 🤔

Seriously binged the whole game in a week because it’s so flawless. The music, Garl being the true protag, the story, the exploring and just how simple, yet fun the combat system is just elevated this game to one of my GOTYs.

My heart is full. I’m buying this game only because of this video. I don’t think I’d have noticed it otherwise.

Stacked year for gaming, especially on the RPG front. What a time to be alive

The music in this game is so good. I love Garl's theme. I haven't finished the game yet, no spoilers, but hearing Garl's theme brings a tear to my eyes and gets me fired up. This really is one of the best RPG's I've ever played. I almost don't want to beat the game, but I'm looking forward to playing new game plus. I hope there's a sequel someday. Amazing.

"Have you found any new donations?"

Such a touching and heartfelt intro! 😭 I'm glad you're still making content! You have certainly touched and affected my life. Thank you Jirard!

That intro was so beautiful, that must of been so amazing to discover for the first time

I’m sitting at a pub waiting for my breakfast right after meeting Gerard the Constructionist in-game. I knew something was familiar about him but couldn’t put my finger on it. After hearing your story it all clicked. What an incredible thing for him to do for you! I’ve been enthralled by this game ever since I picked it up.

Bro your passion is inspiring. I am really happy for you man, you seem to have ups and downs just like the rest of us but not scared to let people know you are vulnerable. Mad respect to you, hope you always keep going and congrats on being in the game through your compassion for others. I'd consider this is a life accomplishment no matter what the future holds.

Your stories aren't unnecessary mate. You spread some much needed joy in an ever harsher world.

This game is phenominal and thankfully seems to be getting the praise it deserves.

The funny thing about this is... I bought the game cause it made me feel cozy and melancholy, like this game is relaxing and leaves me feeling like I have eaten a dish only a long-gone relative used to make. You finish it satisfied but sad because you know you can’t relieve that again. Sometimes, I just let the intro music play in the background to relax me and remind me of the old days when I used to let classic RPG start menu play in the environment.

I'm now actually interested in the game given they removed Jirad from it.

It's so fitting for the character based on Jirard to be a construction worker as that sums up his entire career with games and KZfaq, building up others regardless of the time and energy it takes so that they can succeed. Constructing futures, and that's beautiful.

I’m having such an incredible time with this game. I absolutely cannot wait to see what genre Sabotage plans on tackling next.

Well THIS aged well.

There was a foul stench in the game. But when Jirard got removed it vanished.

Sea of stars is amazing. I can't help but be in awe at how vibrant and colorful the game looks. Sabotage Studios definitely delivered.

Love this video. Thank you Jirad for being so honest and open. Means a lot to someone who suffers severely from anxiety issues.

This was a really touching and heartfelt project Jirard. Beautiful work, and thank you for sharing this touching story!!!

Ive never even heard of the game before but the intro made me start to tear up. It is so insanely sweet how important this is to you and the developers and how that trust and friendship led to something tangible in the game and the world. Excited to see the rest!

Here's my own Sabotage Studio story: Back at either PAX South 2019 or 2020 (RIP South), I went and visited the Sabotage booth. This was after The Messenger had come out and they were pitching the upcoming DLC. They were in their own booth, not Devolver's. I was and still am a nobody on KZfaq and Twitch (then Mixer for me), but showcasing indies is my passion. I was also doing developer outreach for a stream team that fell apart soon after. I walked up and shyly introduced myself to Theirry. He was warm, kind and spent like 20 minutes just shooting the breeze with me about The Messenger, indies overall, and was genuinely interested in hearing about my content and my team. He never seemed rushed or acted like I was a bother to him. Many indie publishers (including Devolver) literally won't talk to any creator that doesn't at least have the word "Partner" in their bio somewhere. But Theirry treated me the same as he would someone like Jirard and to this day, I've never forgotten that. As a fellow Canadian, he embodies our friendly reputation very well. Also Jirard, you probably won't see this, but I wanted to tell you as well: I only started watching your channel a couple of weeks ago after I tried out Friends Per Second, despite watching various gaming channels since the early days of TotalBiscuit. Your knowledge, commitment and passion for this medium and those who enjoy it is such a breath of fresh air to the cynicism that permeates so much of gaming media and KZfaq now. Nowhere else have I seen a creator that so clearly exudes how much they love this stuff. You know and care more than 90% of the hacks that call themselves "gaming journalists" today and you deserve to be here more than just about any of them. Your positivity and passion is something this business needs more of and I hope you're here for a long time to come. Cheers!

Bro. Why you gotta make me cry with that intro. Keep up the good fight my friend. It’s been a joy tuning in to your videos for all these years.

I’m not a completionist, but this video was so heartwarming that I thought it would be worthy to go the extra mile on this one, and it didn’t disappoint. I smiled all the way to the end of the flimsy hammer thing (and I’m one trophy shy on the platinum, but I feel plenty satisfied already).

Gave this game 34 hours of my life to complete it. I cannot wait for more work from sabotage studios.

I'm crying at the intro. He deserves it. he's such a wonderful guy and I wish him the best.

Hell of an intro speech on this one brother! Felt the passion!

Just started this game and it's gotten it's hooks into me already. The music is extraordinary but during the sequence when Garl joins the party it just hits SO GOOD!

As soon as I heard Garl's intro music (when he comes back after hopping out of the bushes) and then you introduced yourself as the Constructionist, I was HYPED. This is absolutely my game of the year.

Jirard this is such an incredibly story. Congrats to you and the Sea of Stars team!!!

One of the most wholesome gaming videos I’ve seen, and I haven’t even seen past the intro yet. That’s such a heartwarming and sweet tale about how someone’s actions can affect another, and then have it come straight back to them ❤

Completed it today, honestly my favorite game of the last few years. I haven't played a game i honestly love this much since i was a kid. Every step of the way felt so cozy and familiar, but so new as well. Sabotage truly blessed us with this.

This aged badly

This game reinvigorated my love for games and it was so refreshing playing a game that felt the developers actually loved what they were working on.

This review actually brought me to tears. I am so happy playing this game. 2023 is a great year for games -- and Sea of Stars is definitely one of the gems in the crown.

Sea of stars is such a good game. Really blew me away with how well polished it is. Glad you're connected with these dudes and supporting them.

Sea of Tears

I love Jirard's passion for indie games. Looking forward to the interview with the dev on the Friends Per Second podcast.

This is so wholesome I'm crying T_T Now I'll go buy Sea of Stars as I wipe my tears

*_4:18_* *_5:49_* *_6:27_* 🤣

Thank you for sharing your heart with us. It brought a tear to my eye. Sea of Stars is no longer on my wishlist - it's now in my library.

Amazing video! You have that super-rare quality to hype me up for games I'm already hyped about :)

I’ve never gotten teary eyed during a f$$in video game video before…But that story at the beginning…I’m not sure why, but it touched my barely working heart.

I ❤this!! This is what indie games are about. Supporting each other and having fun!!

I’ve been watching you for years homie and your authenticity, love of the game, and emotional connection to your fans and friends is one of the doorstop things about this ride. I hope you know how amazing what you do is and the place in gaming history you hold. Keep at it you dragon riding animal!

Oh my god, I only just finished up the first area with The Sleeper and haven't met this character yet, but now I'm gonna tear up every time I interact with him. What a rad game.

7:21 oof

NGL that intro had me tearing up, so glad to hear that a genuinely good person is having such success with everything. I've watched this game's development off and on for a while and it, along with Stardew Valley, were the first two games that really made me appreciate indie games

I just finished all of the flimsy hammer quests, and THANK YOU for pointing them out! I was absolutely frustrated by Wheels, challenged by the true ending, quizzed by quizzes, and... there's also a fishing minigame! I didn't think anything after the ending would be worthwhile for a game like this, but Sea of Stars has thoroughly proven that notion wrong. I'm not one to say there's a wrong way to play a game usually, but completing Sea of Stars is the only correct way to experience the game. Absolutely incredible!

A fucking masterpiece of a game…in a year that’s been as stacked as this one, I’m happy for this game to be getting some love ❤️🔥

I had no idea you were the guy in Mirth. That just made the game that much more special. I’ve been watching your stuff for a while and to see you immortalized in a video game I loved so much playing through is just icing on the cake. Congrats brother!

Played the demo earlier this year and this instantly became one of my most anticipated games in a year of insane heavy hitters. I haven't played a jrpg in so long (used to be a huge fan) and this was finally the one that actually made me want to again. I loved the turn based battle system and the visuals are absolutely gorgeous, you can tell how much love went into this game. Doin it better than the big studios for real

This video makes me so happy! I love the game right now, and I love your videos. Thank you

I completed and got the platinum trophy for Sea of Stars a few hours ago and it’s the most fun I’ve had playing a game in a while! I enjoyed every second of it. The story and world are so well built that none of the side content felt like a chore

This is straight up one of the nicest videos I’ve ever seen. You’re a good man, Jirard. And that beard. Keep it up, man.

DUUUUUUUUUUDE I was so stoked to see you in the game I literally jumped for joy!!

Finally got around to watching this video and I wanted to say thank you. Your passion for The Messenger is what made me play that in the first place and your further excitement for the Sea of Stars Kickstarter is what made me, a person who historically bounces off JRPGs really fast, back it the same day it launched. Now thanks to you, I'm forever immortalized in one of my new favorite games and I couldn't be happier.

Idk how far in i am, but being French Canadian, god, i love the lil snippets they put, wether is the clever names that have a french pun or the many dishes. Cant wait to get the Quebecois script option !

Jirard, thank you for sharing the amazing story to begin this video. We are so glad that you’ve continued to impact the gaming industry in such positive ways - including supporting the amazing indie devs who create some of our favourite gaming experiences. Congrats to Sabotage Studio on creating an amazing title in Sea of Stars! Loving the game so far - even as I keep getting defeated by dozens of summoned ants and having to re-load my save… 😂

Now that I completely watched the video I can say - this is kind of exactly THE game I was missing all those years after Golden Sun. There were amazing games but something felt missing. Here, the gameplay, the artstyle, the story, just everything speaks to me.

What an absolute masterpiece! I'm gonna enjoy this one!

Jirard, we may never meet but just so you know, you are one of the most genuine people on KZfaq. Your intro story was so heartfelt, I had to comment. Keep up the amazing work, keep doing what you're doing.

I’d definitely love to see a spoiler heavy follow up video! I hope you decide to do it.

I was smiling ear to ear listening to Sabotage's story. I always had a huge respect for them since the Messenger That being said, you being removed in the game is well deserved.

Hey Jirard, that opening was awesome and brought a tear to my eyes. I love videos that add personal stories to them. I had my eye on this game for a little while, but your video has bumped it up the list. Adding The Messenger now too. Thanks for all the work you and your team put into these videos for all of us.

I was debating playing this bc I have so many games I’m playing but halfway through this and I’m excited to finish the video and go play Jirards passion is infectious

You put it so eloquently! You have such a similar taste in retro gaming as me so I know I’m going to enjoy this. Gonna start ASAP 😊🎉

I first heard about this game all too late, when Barry streamed it a few days ago. You came in through the chat, and urged him to complete it because it is well worth it. Intrigued, I looked up this video, and felt the warmth, the care, the bond you had with it. This game us special, and it is palpable. So with little to no second thought, I got the game for myself! 40 or so hours of game time later, today, I have finally learned what the flimsy hammers did. I've wept several times throughout the game, and this was one of purest joy. The scream I've let out in realization was most likely a bad moment for the neighbours. Thank you Jirard for pouring your heart out for the studio and the game. Your honest and pure love for this project has led me on its trajectory, and it was a truly special experience, that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Now to tough up and get that boss relic achievement. Hoo lawd...

Wonder how the devs feel about putting you in the game now?

I'm about 12 hours in and I'm loving the game so far. Sad to see that this video sadly spoils a little more than I felt it needed to, but it was still a fun ride, loved hearing about your history with The Messenger and Sea of Stars. I let out a big smile when I saw you in-game, I was sure it meant a lot to you. Glad you decided to not leave everything behind back when the Messenger came out! Your videos are always a treat.

Is it still going to be your game of the year when they remove you from it?

I will be watching this after playing the game. After years of watching your videos i know your a genuine guy. If you vouch this hard for a game with tears in your eyes. I cant spoil a second and must play it immediately

The start of this video was so fucking wholesome. Actually amazing that within that it got you through a dark patch in your career as well. Love the channel and your videos and it does look like a solid game. Not for me as not really bothered about turn based games tbh but hope anyone who plays it enjoys it. It does look great.